7 Divas Whose Breakout Performances Were On OTT Platforms
niharika nayakBA (Media & Communication) Experience: 4 yearsNiharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... more
As OTT platforms have gained an immense boost in popularity thanks to the pandemic, many people are making the switch to this platform. OTT platforms have allowed for fresh talent to thrive and let talented actors who were once overlooked in Bollywood woo us with their impressive roles. Since OTT platforms don’t cater to as wide of an audience as theatres and cable TV do, they are allowed to broadcast topics that are considered somewhat taboo. This also gives writers the ability to properly flesh out female characters and give them their own unique personalities. They have the freedom to cast actresses who would sometimes not be considered conventionally attractive by Bollywood’s standards. So here are seven uber-talented divas whose performances on OTT platforms make them extremely popular:
1. Sobhita Dhulipala
Sobhita Dhulipala is an Indian actress, and fashion model who made her Bollywood debut in the Anurag Kashyap-directed film, Raman Raghav 2.0. After her role in that film, she decided to cast her netting in the South Indian film industry with the Telugu film, Goodachari. However, it wasn’t until her role in Made In Heaven, that she became a household name. In Made In Heaven, Sobhita comes across as the ideal successful, rich, upper-class wife, but all is not what it seems to be. Throughout the show, we see how her marriage slowly unravels while she works her hardest to keep her wedding planning business afloat. Her performance in the series truly takes her up a notch and makes us sit at the edge of our seats with bated breath. We can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.
2. Sayani Gupta
Although she has acted in Bollywood films like Fan, Jolly LLB 2, and Baar Baar Dekho, Sayani found true mainstream success after working on OTT platforms. Sayani played the lead roles in the films Axone, Four More Shots Please, and Inside Edge. Sayani essays each role she takes on with a level of finesse that makes her stand out from her peers. A graduate of Film and Television Institute of India, she made her Bollywood debut in the 2012 film, Second Marriage Dot Com. She became a popular face among audience members in Bollywood after she played a blind Pakistani international student from the LGBTQ community in the film Margarita With A Straw.
3. Shreya Chaudhry
Shreya made her TV series debut on the Amazon Prime show, Bandish Bandits. On this show, she plays the role of the ever-so-feisty, Tamanna Sharma. Besides her incredible looks, the way in which she channels confidence and exudes charisma is what makes us keep our eyes glued to the screen. Although she is one of the newer faces in the world of web series, she is no stranger to acting. Shreya made her Bollywood debut in the film, Dear Maya and has also acted in a movie named The Other Way. She has also appeared in various advertisements for many famous brands.
4. Tripti Dimri
Tripti made her big-screen debut in the year 2017 with the film Poster Boy. After Poster Boy, she acted in the film, Laila And Majnu. It wasn’t until Anushka Sharma decided to cast her in her second production, Bulbbul on Netflix, that she gained mainstream success. Her powerful role in the Netflix film, threw her into the spotlight and sent chills down our spine when we watched it. She portrays a mysterious yet kind-hearted and friendly young woman in the film who is the victim of her own era. Bulbbul will have you reaching for your covers and also reaching for your tissue papers at specific points during the film. However, if you are deeply affected by the sight of blood and violence, we must warn you to tread lightly.
5. Kubbra Sait
Kubbra made her Bollywood debut in the Salman Khan film, Ready, and has also acted in other Bollywood films like I Love NY, Jodi Breakers, and Sultan. However, in 2018, she gained worldwide attention after she played the role of a trans woman, Kuckoo, on the Netflix series, Sacred Games. In the show, she wins the heart of Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s character and uses her charm to get in with his circle. She gets caught up in the gangster’s life and struggles with her mental health throughout the web series. Her famous line “Kuckoo ka jaadu” is what made her character so memorable, and we really hope to see her acting in more shows. During the 47th International Emmy Awards, Kubbra was one of the people who represented the show when it was nominated for Best Drama.
6. Bani J
Before she made her web series debut with Four More Shots Please, Bani was known for being the runner-up in season 4 of Roadies and a fitness model. With Four More Shots Please, we got to see a side of Bani that she had rarely shown to the world. In the show, Bani plays a fitness trainer from a small town with big town dreams. Her devil-may-care attitude and struggle to accept her own feelings towards one of her female clients is what made our hearts ache for her. Many fans were impressed to see this side of her, and her wardrobe in the series was totally enviable.
7. Tanya Maniktala
Although A Suitable Boy was not her first foray into the world of web series, it was the show that made her strike a name of her own. In the coming-of-age show, she plays the lead character, Lata, who just wants to live her life freely and without the constant gaze of her strict mother. Although, A Suitable Boy is set in the early 1950s, right after India gained independence, it addresses issues that are important, even to this very day. We love how she portrays Lata with an aura of innocence and bewilderment towards the troubles of the wider world.
Many people believe that thanks to OTT platforms, talented individuals are thriving, and the quality of the content has improved too. Thanks to Netflix, Hotstar, and Prime Video, we get to sit in the comfort of our own homes and ride out the pandemic together. Do let us know what shows you have been keeping up to date with during this pandemic. Tell us all of your thoughts in the comment section below!
